Transform operations to accelerate research

HudsonAlpha needs flexible, high-performance systems and connectivity solutions to support the intensive research, collaboration and analysis that are central to driving scientific breakthroughs.

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HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, a not-for-profit genome research centre, started in Huntsville, Alabama in 2008. With 200 scientists working on the non-profit side and 600 on the for-profit side, the Institute’s 152-acre campus is home to researchers and scientists across a variety of disciplines. Their common interest is the science of genomics, which promises unprecedented understanding of the cause and treatment of disease. The Institute’s researchers are also keen to collaborate to generate fresh, crossdisciplinary insights and deepen the understanding of health trends and patient pools on a global basis.

Powerful technology in scientists’ hands

HudsonAlpha is using the HPE Synergy composable platform to build a compute resource powerful enough to support the data-intensive workloads of its genomic researchers while streamlining system management. Its single Application Programme Interface (API) enables users to programme the entire infrastructure as code across multiple data centres in automated fashion. The platform supports applications that HudsonAlpha may leverage, like HPE Vertica Advanced Analytics, to help researchers identify trends and patterns in the enormous pools of DNA data generated by its genome sequencers.

3B

DNA base pairs in a single human genome

250PB

Of genomic data produced annually

"Immediately it provided an increase in speed. We’re able to bring all the needs of our 34 companies and 200 researchers together and use our resources in the most efficient manner possible."

Accelerating the race for cures

HudsonAlpha is helping deliver on the tremendous promise of genomics to cure cancer and other diseases.

Using HPE Synergy technology, HudsonAlpha can streamline the delivery of compute power to the Institute’s scientists. For example, resource re-provisioning times have been shortened from four days to two hours in some cases. This helps the Institute scientists to respond swiftly as they pursue research ideas, and potentially shortens the time to deliver research conclusions and diagnostic results.

The solution has increased storage capacity and reduced cost-per-terabyte, a critical consideration for a platform that must house DNA data from millions of individuals, reaching volumes of over a petabyte per month.

800

Clients around the world are served by HudsonAlpha genomic data services

3,000

Patient genomes will be sequenced at a family clinic, with HudsonAlpha’s support, to improve disease diagnosis in 2016

"Don’t fall into the trap of a rigid culture or standard operating procedure. You must be flexible to undo a process or solution next month, or next quarter, if it’s not working."

Solution recipe

Here are the technologies that HudsonAlpha uses to share DNA data and accelerate genome research.

HudsonAlpha is running production-level workloads on an HPE Synergy Composable Infrastructure with three Synergy compute modules, an HPE Synergy D3940 Storage module and three HPE SimpliVity 380 systems, with HPE OneView for systems management. To test ease of installation, HudsonAlpha was able to quickly set up this hardware in advance of the HPE support team’s arrival.